Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and security of acupuncture therapy combined with conventional antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia.Methods We first comprehensively retrieved papers about acupuncture or moxibustion treatment of schizophrenia published from the time of establishment of the database to April of 2017 in Chinese databases such as Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)

Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database(VIP)

Wanfang

and Chinese BioMedical Literature(CBM)by using keywords"acupuncture""moxibustion""acupuncture+moxibustion""acupuncture+medication""electroacupuncture""filiform needle""scalp-acupuncture""auricular acupuncture"

etc.Then

according to the principles and methods of evidence-based medicine

papers conformed to the included standards were enrolled to Meta-analysis by using Review Manager 5.3 software.Results A total of 618 studies were identified

with only 17 articles(containing 1 542 patients)conformed to our included standards and analyzed finally.In regard to the total effective rate of acupuncture or moxibustion for schizophrenia

the combined OR=3.09

95% CI(2.31

4.13)

the diamond was on the right side of the vertical line(suggesting being effective)

OR checked by Ztest(Z=7.61

P<0.000 01).In regard to the untoward effect

the combined OR=0.34

95% CI(0.16

0.75)

the diamond was on the left side of the vertical line(suggesting less adverse effects)

OR checked by Ztest(Z=2.67

P=0.008).Sensitivity analysis:the combined standardized mean difference(SMD)=-0.61

95% CI(-0.88

-0.34)

the diamond was on the left side of the vertical line(suggesting having more profits than simple medication)

SMD checked by Ztest(Z=4.39

P<0.000 1).Conclusion Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with conventional antipsychotics is significantly better than that of antipsychotics alone in the treatment of schizophrenia and has less side effects.But

high quality clinical studies with rigorous experimental design and large sample size are needed to provide more reliable evidence.